Haiti could be taken over by a "Russian-backed gang" as Vladimir Putin looks to build an anti-West axis, an expert has claimed.

       The Caribbean country has been plagued by gang violence for years, and this has worsened in recent months as the criminals forced Prime Minister Ariel Henry to resign.

       The gangs control 80 percent of the capital Port-au-Prince, and prominent gang leader Jimmy Cherizier is even vying for power in the country.

       Amid the chaos of recent years, protestors have been pictured waving Russian flags and even asking Vladimir Putin to send in the Russian military to restore order in the country.

       An expert recently told Daily Express US that this is done by protestors to show their anger with the US.

       READ MORE: Haiti protestors raise Russian flag and beg Putin's military to save them

       But General Sir Richard Barrons, a retired British Army officer, tells the Daily Star that this is evidence that Russia is trying to impose its influence on Haiti to strike a blow against the US.

       He said: “If a Russian-backed gang can take power, that clearly swings Haiti into their camp right in the face of the US. For Russia this is a huge positive, America will think this is a big problem.

       “Russia’s very good at doing that - exerting power without risking a military backlash.”

       The general added that “Putin is creating an axis which is opposed to the US-led West.”

       He added: added: “The way he exercises influence in Africa, with the likes of the Wagner group, is another symptom of that. And it’s important to see how Haiti could become just one little part of this great era of power confrontation.”

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       “We’ve got the liberal democracy of the US versus autocratic capitalism led by China, which Russia is also a part of. What’s happening in Haiti is Putin exploiting the situation and shouldn’t be viewed in isolation.”

       The military expert also believes that Haitian protestors waving Russian flags were probably paid to do so.

       He said: “Someone would have given [the protesters] the Russian flags, and someone would have paid them to wave them.

       “If that spurs the US to put armed forces into Haiti – to impose order – then that would trump Russia but there isn’t any sign of that right now.”